Floral rack



lApril 26, 193s. l C, J, WHITE 2,115,693

FLORAL RACK Filed Nov. 16, 1936 2 Slxeets-Sheel 2 @www Patented Apr. 26,1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

This invention pertains to improvements in floral racks, for use atfuneral services in homesv or churches.

An object of the invention is the provision of a rack of a structurewhich with its supporting props can be easily collapsed from a widespreading affair into a very narrow form.

Another and very important object lies in providing a iloral rack havingpivotally mounted impalement prongs collapsible upon the memberscarrying them and which in the act of folding or collapsing the rackwill be covered by certain members of the rack structure and protectedby them against damage and so also that said prongs will not projectfrom the face of the rack so as to catch upon articles or causeannoyance in anya way.

Further, to provide means for positively collapsing impalement prongsand for positively moving them to the impalement position.

In order that the invention in all its details may be thoroughlyunderstood the accompanying drawings are provided wherein.

Figures 1 and 2 are respectively, a front and a rear' elevation of arack according to the invention, certain parts in both iigures beingshown broken away that the balance thereof may be more clearly seen.

Figure 2a is a side elevation of certain parts of the rack. y

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the rack.

Figures 3a and 3b are side elevations of part of the rack and animpalement prong showing means for positively operating the latter.

Figure 3c is afront elevation of parts shown in Figures 3e and 3b.

Figures 4 and 5 are plans of two forms of devices, in detail, shown inthe earlier figures and illustrated in connection with other parts shownin cross section.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of a member of the rack with a pivotallymounted prong thereon shown in longitudinal section.

Figure 7 is a detail, much enlarged, of certain rack parts includingimpalement prongs.

Figure 8 is similar to Figure '7 showing the parts of that figure incloser'relation.

Figure 9 is a horizontal section of the part shown in Figure 7 producedon line 9--9 thereof.

Figure 10 shows in perspective an impalement prong of some of theprevious figures.

Floral racks have usually been of rigid types or those wherein themembers thereof have been fixed relatively thereon requiring largecarrying cases for transporting them, besides taking lup much space forstorage, and uniitted for placing in cramped quarters when set up forfloral display -at funeral services for example.

In addition to these facts the impalement prongs for receiving thefloral pieces have either 5 been fixed in position on the rack-frame, orif pivoted thereon were free at all times to extend from the face of therack in danger of being bent and distorted together with the annoyancecaused by catching upon clothing, or other objects with 10 which theymight come in contact.

With the object of avoiding the above disadvantages the rack hereindescribed and shown has been designed and will be understood from thefollowing, aided by the drawings. 15

In the said drawings the numeral l denotes severally, a series of barsof any desired length which lie parallel to one another and which arepreferably rectangular in cross sections.

In Figures 1 and 2, in this instance only, five of such bars are shownof a length corresponding substantially to the longest type of rackusually employed. On each of the bars at their spaced position, in thisinstance, are members of any desired type aiiixed thereto. As shown inFigure 5 these take the form each of a tubular part designated at 2secured by means of a pin or rivet 3, for example, said member or part 2having an extended stud 4 which, depending upon its location, receivesupon it the ends of iiat member 5, or a pair of the same at theirmiddles.

Spaced from these members or parts 2 at each side thereof is a member orpart 6, Figure 4, which corresponds to the said members 2 but isslidable upon its bar l. These cross members 35 5 are arranged as shownin Figures 1 and 2 forming the well known lazy tongs structure, theirseveral extremities and their places of crossing having pivoted relationwith said members or parts 2 and 6, and pivoted to each other as at 1,40 and in this particular instance, only, three of the lazy tongs lie inspaced groups-at bars i serving the desired purpose.

Pivotally mounted on the bars I at desired positions between the membersor parts 2, 6 are 45 impalement prongs shown more particularly inFigures 6, 7, 8, and 10 and identified by the character 8. This mayconsist of a metal strip pointed at one end, if desired, and having apair of spacd check-portions 9 to engage opposite sides 50 of the barsI, a pin l0, Figure 6, answering as the pivot member.

Since the rack is adapted to collapse in its own plane and since a backsupport is preferable for said rack, such support is likewise madecollapsible and comprises in this instance parallel bars II, Figures 1and 2, one of them being shown in Figure 3, these being pivoted at oneof their ends at the bars I on members I2 corresponding to 2 of Figure5, the other end being free and adapted to rest upon a supportingsurface with the said bars I'. Braces I3 are pivoted at one of theirends to said bars I, their other ends being pivoted to a slide I4corresponding to 6 in Figure 4, the several slides adapted to shiftalong the bars I When folding or unfolding the device.

Mounted on certain of the bars I are xed members I5 to which crossmembers I6 are pivoted to form a lazy tongs" as in the rst instance, thecross members at their ends likewise being pivoted on slides I'I. Theentire device as constructed is then collapsible as a whole, the severaldescribed lazy tongs acting together 'and yet a thoroughly rigid rack isproduced for any degree of spread.

When setting the rack up for use as shown in Figure 3, for example, theprongs 8, due to their free manner of mounting, will fall away from themembers I and rest at their bases 8 against the latter, thus maintainingthem at the proper angle for impalement purposes. At the time ofcollapsing the device it is held so that its front side is uppermostwhereupon the prongs will fall to positions flat upon and parallel tothe rods I. The collapsing act is then brought about, and the members 5as they turn upon their several pivots approach each other as shown inFigures 8 and 9, passing in front of and practically covering the prongsat a slight distance therefrom as shown in said Figure 9, and also inFigure 2e preventing them falling forward, both protecting them frominjury and removing them from chance engagement with objects. The rackis readily transportable in its collapsed form and whereas, as statedearlier herein, a very bulky carrying case is required for the rigidtype of rack, the present rack requires a case of but three or fourinches square, the length of the case, of course, being governed by thelength of said rack. Quite often a rigid type of rack when set up foruse cannot be suited to all conditions, i. e., where there are spacesbetween objects too narrow to receive the rack, the latter thus in manyinstances occupy floor space that should be available for other uses. Acollapsible rack such as described, therefore, is readily adaptable tospaces of any width while just as effective for display purposes.

In Figures 3e, 3b and 3c in lieu of depending upon gravity-operation ofthe prongs a manner of positively collapsing a prong upon the bar I isshown wherein 82 designates said prong pivoted at 83 to said bar. Thecheek-portions 9' are slotted at 92, but one check being shown, saidslot lying between the pivot and the body of the prong and openingdownward. Slidable on the bar I is a sleeve portion I0' provided with anupwardly extended finger |02 at two opposite sides` thereof, Figure 3,cach to engage in a slot, such engagement for one of them being shown inFigure 3b. Pivoted at one end to the sleeve I0 is a link ID3, its otherend being pivoted to one of the cross members 5, the relation of theparts being such that as the rack is spread or collapsed the sleeve IIJ'will be shifted. It is noted in Figure 3a that slot 92 in the check 9'of the prong 8' lies in such position that when collapsing the rack themovement of the sleeve is in the direction of the prong causing theinwardly projecting ends of the lingers IIl2 to enter the said slot andthat in a further movement the prong will be positively moved toward andrest upon the bar I. In the reverse action, i. e., when the rack isextended, the said ends of the lngers when drawn down will engage thelower wall of the slot, Figure 3b, and positively move said prong to theimpalement position of Figure 3a. While this is one manner of positivelyoperating the prong it is understood that other ways may be used toattain the same result. It is understood that the open-end slot 92 isemployed in order that the sleeve I0 may partake of any distance oftravel after leaving the prong as the rack is spread.

Due to the fact that the prongs 8 are mounted on the vertical rod-memberI they always lie on exactly vertical lines in any degree of spread ofthe rack.

Various slight alterations may be made throughout the structure withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or the scope of theaccompanying claims, it being thus understood that I do not intend to belimited by what is shown and described.

I claim:

l. A collapsible display rack including in its construction pivotallyrelated rod-members adapted to swing reative to each other in their ownplanes, an impalement prong hingedly mounted on one of the membersadapted to swing from an outward impalement position to a neutralcollapsed position upon the member, its point in the collapsed positionlying between the member and another member of the structure and coveredby the latter for preventing chance engagement of said point with anarticle.

2. A floral rack adapted to collapse in its own plane, including in itsconstruction a series of substantially parallel bars, an impalementprong hingedly carried by one of them and free to assume an extendedarticle-holding-position when the rack is erected for use, andcross-members carried by the bars constituting a lazy-tongs, certain ofthe members lying adjacent to and in iront of the prong in the collapsedposition of said rack, preventing the hinged action of said prong.

3. A iloral rack including in its construction a plurality of membersparalleling each other, a plurality of second members crossing the rstmembers, and alsocrossing each other in diagonal directions forming alazy-tongs, the said second members being pivotally connected andpivotally connected to said rst members and guided in a shiftingmovement of their ends along the same, the whole adapted to collapsewith all of the members of the structure lying in close order, andprongs pivoted to certain of the irst members adapted to swing outwardlyfrom and. beyond the outer faces of said second members in the spreadposition of the structure, the points of the prongs adapted to liebetween the first and second members in the collapsed or closed positionof said structure.

4. The combination in a oral rack whose parts are arranged to moverelatively in a given plane both to spread or to collapse the same, of abar, an impalement prong pivoted thereto at one end adapted to swingbetween two extreme positions, a mounted part movable to and from theprong, adapted to engage the latter, and a link connected to said partand operated by a portion of the rack in the action of the latteradapted to positively swing the prong between its said two cxtremepositions.

5. A floral rack including in its construction a member, a pivotallymounted impalement prong thereon adapted to swing between two extremepositions in a direction at right angles to the face of said member andparalleling the longitudinal line of the member, a member pivoted to therst said member and swingable parallel to the face of the same, andmechanism operated by the second named member in its swinging movementadapted to positively swing said prong in either direction on its pivot.

6. A collapsible display rack including in its construction pivotallyrelated rod-members arranged to swing relative to each other in theirown planes, an impalement prong hingedly mounted on one of the membersadapted to swing in a plane lying at right angles to its hinge axis andat right angles to the face of the member and paralleling thelongitudinal line of the member carrying it, said pro-ng in one of itspositions lying in an impalement position outward from the faces of allof the members, and in another position lying adjacent to andsubstantially paralleling the member on which it is mounted, and in thelatter position lying between said member and the other members of thestructure, and its point being entirely concealed and covered by thelatter to prevent its chance engagement with an article.

'7. A collapsible display rack including in its construction a pluralityof rod-members paralleling each other, a lazy-tongs structure themembers of which lie in diagonal positions across the same with respectto the longitudinal lines thereof and operatively connected therewithadapted to shift those members in their parallel relation to a collapsedposition, an impalement prong pivotally mounted on a member of the rack,the same adapted to swing to and from said member in a plane lyingsubstantially at right angles to the axis of the prongs pivotalmovement, said plane lying substantially at right angles to the face ofsaid member and paralleling the longtudi- 'nal line of the latter. saidprong adapted to lie in an article holding position outward from theparallel to each other while moving relatively, in

directions at right angles to their lengths, and a prong pivotallymounted on one of the bars adapted in an extended position thereof toproject forward beyond the outer faces of the members when the rack isopen and also adapted in the collapsed form of the rack to lie betweenthe forward face of the bar and the adjacent rear faces of said members,parts of the members covering the point of said prong.

9. A oral rack including in its construction a member, a pivotallymounted impalement prong thereon adapted to swing between two extremepositions in a direction at right angles to the face thereof and havinga slot therein, a second member mounted to move in a plane parallelingsaid face of the first member, a part movable along said rst member, aportion thereof adapted both to enter and leave the slot and by movementof the second member adapted when engaged in the slot to swing the prongin either direction, and a link connecting the part and the said secondnamed member.

CLARENCE J. WHITE.

